‘As a political, legal and social issue, same-sex marriage seems to be now where interracial marriage was about 50 years ago. A large majority of the public and most politicians say they oppose gay marriage. Some church leaders say it violates natural law and the Scriptures. A movement growing in political importance is pressing for equal rights for a minority. And a state high court has thrown out a law prohibiting such marriages. All that was true of interracial marriages shortly after World War II. Today, interracial marriage has strong public support, and no successful politician or prominent public figure favors outlawing such unions. The question is whether gay marriage is on the same trajectory or is so fundamentally different that it will never be legalized.’ — New York Times, Dec. 14.
‘[Singer] Lauryn Hill stunned leading members of the Roman Catholic Church when she accused them of moral corruption, exploitation and abuse from the stage during a Christmas concert at the Vatican. Hill, 28, launched her diatribe in front of an audience of 7,500 guests at a packed Paul VI hall, used by Pope John Paul II for indoor public audiences. ‘I’m not here to celebrate, like you, the birth of Christ, but to ask you why you are not in mourning for his death in this place,’ Hill said … . ‘Holy God has witnessed the corruption of your leadership, of the exploitation and abuses which are the minimum that can be said for the clergy,’ she added, calling on the hierarchy to ‘repent’. Stunned hierarchy in the front row … included one of the most senior figures in the Church, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, who is head of the Italian bishops conference. … Hill, a former member of The Fugees and winner of five Grammy Awards, said she was not speaking as a representative of any religious organisation.’ — From the Web site sg.news.yahoo.com/031214/1/3gnoz.html.